Dereham Town chairman Neil Sturman insisted the club had acted in good faith when they fielded the ineligible Dylan Edge in two games earlier this season.

The Magpies were docked three points by the Bostik League's disciplinary sub-committee last week for playing Edge while he was still contracted to King's Lynn Town.

The club have accepted the punishment, which has seen them drop into the bottom three of the North Division, but claim they were told the striker was free to play for them by both the Linnets and the player himself.

'Prior to Dylan Edge signing a registration form for Dereham Town, the club to which he (as we now know) was at that time contracted, King's Lynn Town, was contacted by email requesting clarification of his status,' said Sturman.

'Following discussion between Dereham Town's manager and King's Lynn Town's director of football, its (then) manager and secretary we were verbally assured by all three that the player was not subject to contract.

'King's Lynn Town subsequently publicly stated, via the local printed press and the club's official website, that the player had been released – based on which we understood that any contractual arrangement which might have existed had been correctly terminated.

'Obviously, had we been appraised of the player's actual contractual status we would have negotiated a transfer in accordance with the relevant FA rules.

'The player was also adamant that he was not subject to a written contract with any other club and, in signing an Isthmian League registration form for Dereham Town, declared this to be correct.

'In view of the consistency of information received from the player and his former club we accepted that Dylan Edge was 'free' to sign for Dereham Town and consequently did not approach the FA to confirm his status.'

King's Lynn Town have been contacted for comment.